¹⁸ Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "So will your seed be."

⁵ and hope doesn't disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

²⁴ For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?

¹⁷ As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.

²⁵ Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me.

¹⁸ Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

³⁵ While he was still speaking, they came from the synagogue ruler's house saying, "Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?"

³⁶ But Jesus, when he heard the message spoken, immediately said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Don't be afraid, only believe."

¹¹ Then he said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.

¹¹ Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will you go with me? have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

¹² Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons;

¹³ would you therefore wait until they were grown? would you therefore stay from having husbands? nay, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh is gone forth against me.

⁵ Yahweh brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." He said to Abram, "So shall your seed be."

⁶ He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.

¹⁹ Without being weakened in faith, he didn't consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.